Arrangement for forming folds in drapes,curtains and the like



CURTAINS AND THE LIKE w. HACHTEL':

Dec. 23, 1969' ARRANGEMENT FOR FORMING FOLDS IN DRAPES,

Filed Oct. 26, 1967 INVENTQR [MIL/ 501 ##0#7'54 ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 16-87.2 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Curtain hangers, moveable along a curtain rail, are each provided with two or more pins on which an alongated suspenderis hung for Carrying the curtain. Fold holders adapted to the desired shape of the fold are fastened at the bottom end of the suspender and perpendicularly thereto. j

It is known to pleat a curtain to a greater or lesser extent by means of cords or tapes sewn in the top of the curtain. The main disadvantage of this arrangement is that the folds cannot be adequately fixed and the pleating consequently becomes irregular.

It has already been proposed to sew springs bent into U-shape into the head band of the curtain or drape, for the purpose of laying the latter in regular folds. 'Ihis arrangement however is very expensive and requires a great deal of time for its application.

Another proposal has been to provide the curtain hangers with bars which at their ends are connected together by bridges. By means of a wide band fastened to the curtain the latter is then pushed onto these bars and the size of the fold thereby determined. By this means folds of any desired size can be formed and these also subsequently retain their shape.

The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement which is similar in principle to the arrangement described immediately above, but which is simplified in respect of manipulation and fitting and which gives a wider range of possible forms for the pleating.

According to the invention each of the curtain hangers of the curtain rail is provided with at least two pins on each of which a suspender in strap or bar form for carrying the curtain is hung. In order to be able to make even large folds neatly and to fix them in that form, according to a further feature of the invention fold holders adapted to the desired shape of fold are fastened on the bottom end of the strap-like suspender in such a manner that they project substantially perpendicularly from the suspender.

This arrangement for forming folds can not only be manufactured simply and economically but is also easy to install.

A number of examples embodying the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows an arrangement for curtain rails having side sliders FIGURE 2 a side view of an arrangement with a double suspender FIGURE 3 an arrangement for two double suspenders FIGURE 4 an arrangement for internal runner rails with rolling hangers and additional fold holders FIGURE 5 a section in the plane VV in FIGURE 4 FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate two forms of construction of curtain rails of T-shape and angular profile FIGURES 8 and 9 illustrate two hangers having spring legs.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1, the hangers 1 run as side sliders in a side slide rail 2. Each of ice the side sliders is equipped with at least one pin 3 which is provided with a collar 4 and the longitudinal axis of which extends in the longitudinal direction of the slide rail 2.

The pin 3 serves for locating a strap-like suspender 5, the top end of which is provided with a keyhole shaped slot 6 having lower widened part 60 permitting the passage of the collar 4 and narrowed resilient throat part 615 which serves to retain the pin 3 in the bearing eye 6a. i

This suspender 5 is pushed through the loops or pockets of head band 7 (see FIGURE 4) of the curtain or drape and is then suspended on the pin 3. Two projections 8 provided at the lower end of the suspender prevent the curtain G from sliding off the latter.

According to FIGURE 2, the suspender 5 may also be bent in U-form and by its two free ends be hung on the pins 3 provided on both sides of the hanger 1. In this case it is not necessary to provide special projections at the bottom end of the suspender.

According to FIGURE 3, it is also possible to provide two double pins 3 on a hanger, so that two U-shaped suspenders or four single suspenders can be hung on the same hanger.

In the same way, rolling hangers are also suitable for being equipped with pins 3. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4 a plurality of single suspenders 5 are suspended one behind the other on the pins of one or more hangers 1 running in an internal runner rail 9. A fiat fold holder 10 of plastic material is pushed over a plurality of the suspenders 5 and is held by the projections 8. The external contour of the fold holder, which forms a flat plate, is selected in accordance with the desired shape of the folds and has slots 21 corresponding in shape to the cross-section of the suspenders 5. The fold holder may either form a simple flat component or be provided with apertures 11. The material is preferably flexible so that, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, intermediate folds can be formed and clamped fast in the fold holder. For this purpose the fold holder 10 is provided with one or more narrow recesses 22.

According to FIGURE 8, the pins 3 are fastened on legs 12, which, like inner legs 13 serving for introducing the curtain runners into the bearing 14 of the hanger 1, are resilient. If the inner legs 13 are lengthened as shown in FIGURE 9, they may also be provided with pins 3.

It is naturally also possible for the hangers to be constructed according to the invention, for curtain rails 17 of T-shaped cross-section or for angular rails 18. As FIGURE 6 shows, in the case of double rollers 15 the pins 3 are provided on the bottom apex of a bow 16 which connects the rollers and the free ends of which serve as bearing pins for the rollers 15, while in the case of the single roller arrangementwhich is customary for angle rails 18, they are likewise mounted on a how 19 on one end of which the roller is mounted, while its other free end forms a guide pin 20 for the hanger.

What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement for forming folds in curtains, drapes or the like which are hung through hanging devices on a curtain rail, each of said hanging devices comprising a hanger moveable along said curtain rail and suspenders in elongated form connected thereto by articulation means allowing swinging movement perpendicular to the path of said hangers along said curtain rail, said articulation means comprising at least two horizontal pins extending parallel to said curtain rail and at least two bearing eyes fitting on said pins.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a fold holder is detachably connected to said suspenders and 3 has an external contour which corresponds to the shape ofthe desired fold.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said fold holder consists of a flat plate of flexible plastic material and is provided with slots corresponding in shape to the cross-section of said suspenders.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the fold holder is provided with one or more narrow recesses for securing folds.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said suspenders are provided at their lower end with projections.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said suspenders have a U-shape and are suspended by both free ends on said pins.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said pins are each provided with a collar and said suspenders have at their top end a slot of which a lower part is widened for the passage of said collar and merges through a resilient throat into a bearing eye for said pin.

8. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said hangers are each selectively provided with two or more plIlS.

9. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said hangers are provided with resilient, downwardly projecting legs on the ends of which said pins are mounted.

10. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said pins are disposed at the apex of a bow the free ends of which serve as hearing pins for running rollers of said hanger.

11. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said pins are mounted on a bow one end of which carries a running roller while its other end forms a guide member for the hanger.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES German printed application, No. 1,073,174, January 1960, Storzbach.

German printed application, No. 1,151,102, July 1963, Storzbach.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 160345 

